


What Makes You Free

by veenaistired



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ballet, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Hate to Love, Slow Burn, not the ballet au you deserve but the one I'm capable of writing, two ppl helping each other overcome their fears? more likely than you think.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:22:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21588322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veenaistired/pseuds/veenaistired
Summary: When Neji Hyuuga, a professional ballet dancer, finds out who is supposed to be his Swan Queen in the upcoming production he isn't impressed. Turns out two great dancers don't automatically make a great team. Or do they?
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji/Tenten
Comments: 25
Kudos: 40





	1. The Coffee Stain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, yes, I know I already have two ongoing nejiten fics on here and, no, I won't be abandoning them.
> 
> Now that that's out of the way, this AU snuck it's way into my head a few days ago and just wouldn't let me rest, so here we are. I've had so much fun researching ballet (I've watched so many videos on preparing pointe shoes...) and writing this first chapter and I hope you have just as much fun reading it.
> 
> Ballet lore to be found in the end notes!
> 
> Thanks, as always, for every read, kudo and comment <3

The day Tenten found out she got the part didn’t even start out particularly well. 

She overslept her alarm by a whole fifty minutes, hitting the snooze button over and over again, not wanting to leave her warm cocoon of blankets. She’d never been an early bird, but the biting cold of winter made getting up in the morning that much harder. The bed was warm and cozy, the rest of the world hard and cold and the light switch her enemy. Simple as that. By the time she somehow got herself to roll out of bed and get dressed she had a whole five minutes before she needed to get going. Still, the first thing she did was hitting the button on the water cooker. There was no way in hell she was going to face the icy morning wind without some coffee in her belly. During the winter months, it really was the one thing that kept her going. In a frantic attempt to pack her bag and drink her coffee at the same time, she somehow managed to spill the scalding beverage all over the front of her leotard. Classic. And painful. There wasn't enough time to get changed though, so she grabbed and a few sad pieces of bare toast and her keys and ran. There wasn't any time to cover up the rings under her eyes, so she probably looked less than flattering right now, but she'd live. On the subway, she wolfed down the sad little breakfast in record time even though the smell in the wagon was anything but appetizing, feeling uncomfortably wet, and smelling like coffee, under her winter jacket. 

So, she arrived for morning class, not as early as she’d have liked to and looking slightly disheveled. _Slightly_. Usually, she was among the first people at the studio in the morning. Not to get any extra practice in, there was always more than enough of that during the day, but because of the effect the near-empty place had on her. It was… calming somehow. Helped her focus. It was her chance to be alone for a while before spending the rest of the day cramped into a room with tons of other dancers. That morning, there was none of that. She’d barely made it in time and any remaining minutes were spent salvaging her messier-than-usual bun into something ballet appropriate and hurriedly taping her toes. 

When she entered the studio, pointe-shoes on and ready to go, she noticed with great relief that a certain someone had saved her a spot at the barre. 

"I was starting to think you wouldn’t show today!"

Ino Yamanaka, as always, had rolled up to class looking absolutely gorgeous. There wasn’t a hair out of place in her bun and the glow on her face suggested that she’d actually gotten up early enough to put some make-up on, unlike herself. Being completely honest, Tenten had been extremely intimidated by her when she was first hired by the company. Not without reason. With her long legs and hair that was so ridiculously perfect it looked like straight out of a shampoo commercial, she seemed like the embodiment of a true diva. Except that wasn't her at all. Sure, she could be very direct, sometimes brutally so, but never without reason. It’d taken the two a bit of time to warm up to each other, but over the course of her five years with the company, they’d become fast friends.

"Never!", she retorted a smile on her face despite her tardiness. 

"True enough. At this point, I don’t think anything would stop you from- What the hell happened to your clothes?" 

"Coffee incident."

Before Tenten could elaborate further the teacher and pianist entered the room, the former clapping her hands to gain the dancers' attention. Whatever questions Ino might have about her disastrous encounter with coffee would have to wait for now. Deeply in- and exhaling once, she took her position at the barre and waited for the music to start. 

During class she let her mind go blank, taking her body through the familiar routine of movements. There were no coffee-stains anymore, or loose strands of hair. Just her, the music and the barre. Every step, every wave of her arm was ingrained in her muscles. Within her very soul, even. The way she pointed her feet. The position of her fingers. After years of training, ballet almost came to her instinctually, like a sixth sense. 

That wasn’t to say it was easy. Quite the opposite. Ballet was one tough motherfucker. There was always something to improve on. Something more to strife for. Higher. Harder. Better. To make it look effortless, you had to put in an actual shitton of effort. No pain no gain, as they said. And because, apparently, Tenten just loved to make things harder for herself, that challenge was exactly what had drawn her to ballet in the first place. 

Unlike many professional dancers, she hadn't started out at a young age. In fact, she hadn't seen a dance-studio from the inside until the age of thirteen. Back then she never could've imagined she'd be pursuing ballet as a career just a few years later. But it had been love at first sight, so she'd stuck with it even though she was always a step behind other girls her age for a few years. By the time she was sixteen though, she'd caught up to the others. Some called it a miracle, others chalked it up to talent, but the truth was it'd been nothing but hard work. Refusing to be left behind, she'd practiced every spare minute, repeating the same movements again and again and again until they looked acceptable. She'd woken up in the morning with her muscles sore and screaming out more often than not, but in the wake of her aspirations, her dream, that hardly mattered. 

Even now, with a position at a prestigious company, ballet remained a challenge. One that would only get tougher. Between spending hours at the studio and theater, there was barely any time to relax. Not to mention the sore ankles and blisters on her toes that had come to be constant companions. But at the end of the day, she loved it. There was no other way to describe it. No feeling that could compare to the ecstasy she felt when dancing, no matter if it was on stage or in a tiny studio, with no one but the mirror to keep her company. 

The class passed by almost in a blur as Tenten was caught up in the familiarity of the movements, almost too much so. _Concentrate, for fuck's sake!_ Every single one of her toes cried out in relief when she swapped pointe-shoes for her trusty moon boots after ninety minutes of drills. Sure, you got used to dancing on pointe but that didn't mean it was comfortable by any means. You just learned to accept the pain and move past it, she supposed. As soon as her feet were taken care she quickly put on sweatpants and jacket over her flimsy leotard and shorts before she could go ahead and catch her death. Next to her, Ino did the same thing, looking as if she hadn't even broken a sweat. That woman really was out of this world. Or had really good deodorant. Tenten made a mental note to ask her about it sometime.

"Wow. You were really into it today, Ten." She sounded genuine enough, but Tenten didn’t feel as though she’d done a particularly good job during practice. Then again, she never really did. People always told her she was being to hard on herself. She merely considered herself ambitious.

"If anything I was out of it. Got up on the wrong foot this morning or something." Ino just rolled her eyes at the reply.

"I’d get my head out of the clouds if I were you then. Rumor has it they’re posting the parts today." 

„You really think so? Isn’t it a bit early?“ The director had announced which ballet they’d be kicking off the season with just a few days ago. Hardly enough time to make a selection.

"Kind of, but I’ve heard whispers they’ve already decided." If Tenten had learned one thing throughout the years it was that Ino’s "whispers" were never wrong. Ever.

"Oh. And here I thought we’d get a little more time before the moment of truth." Even though she tried to keep her tone light, there was no masking the bit of anxiety that shone through. Naturally, Ino picked up on it in an instant.

"Dreading it?" 

"I mean, sort of? Back when I was corps, the roles never mattered. I just danced, simple as that. Don’t you miss that sometimes?" 

Tenten knew she wasn’t making a lick of sense. Being promoted from corps to soloist and then principal dancer was the dream of every dancer in the company. One that came true for very few people. It had for her, just a few weeks ago, when she’d received her contract for this season. It hadn’t come completely out of the blue, there’d been hints the ballet mistress was considering her for promotion, but when she’d gotten the actual offer she’d thought her heart was going to come jumping out of her chest and she couldn’t help tears of joy rolling down her face. She'd felt like some chosen hero of legend. The one to make it out of everyone competing for that spot.

But that promotion also meant she had to prove herself all over again. People had expectations for her now. High fucking expectations. Not only the instructors and audience but every other dancer in the company as well. She’d always looked up to the principal dancers. They’d seemed perfect, untouchable. Now that she was one herself, Tenten felt anything but. Hell, there was a huge ass coffee stain on her leotard and she felt as though the rings under her eyes went all the way down to her chin. If anyone were to look at her now, graceful would be the last word to come to mind.

"The certainty of not getting any time in the spotlight? Not at all." Ino’s response didn’t surprise her in the slightest. That woman was born to be on stage, not to mention that her dancing was divine. "You’re a principal dancer now Ten, and you deserve it. You’ve worked off that cute little ass of yours these last few years."

"Oh, I definitely have. It just still feels… sort of unreal."

"It will feel real enough in time sweetie, trust me. At the very latest when you land your first lead role." At that, her friend’s eyes seemed to light up. Probably at the memory of her very own first lead, just a season ago. Tenten wasn't all that convinced though.

"I guess so."

"The way you’re talking kind of makes it seem like you don’t even want the part! Isn’t it every little girl’s dream to be Swan Queen?" That one had Tenten roll her eyes.

"Ah yes, the dream of committing suicide over some guy."

" _Romantical_ suicide, Tenten. And besides, he's a prince, not just some guy." 

"Prince or not, don’t you think the story of Swan Lake is a bit cliché?"

"Cliché?! Woe is me, what an uncultured cretin they’ve made principal dancer!" Ino put on a look of exaggerated outrage, putting her hand to her head like a victorian lady about to faint. "It’s an absolute classic!"

"If you say so."

"Yes, I do say so. And you know I’m _always_ right."

"Of course you are." At that moment the lack of a proper breakfast made itself known with a pang of hunger. Bare toast only got you so far, after all. "So, does the queen of infinite wisdom want to accompany my humble self to the store before we head for the theater? I’m starving." 

"Sure. I’m in the mood for a snack anyways."

So, the two of them made their way to the nearest supermarket, talking about trivial things while they walked. Bills, what kind of Christmas present Ino was planning to get for her girlfriend and, of course, the damn coffee incident. Tenten was just trying to decide what kind of sandwich she wanted to eat, cheese or tuna, when Ino dropped the second bomb of the day on her, completely out of nowhere.

"I’ve heard they’ve managed to get Neji Hyuuga to dance the male lead." 

In the world of ballet, Neji Hyuuga's name was in everyone's mouth these days. Much like Ino, he was a rising star in their field. While researching last season's productions she'd come across one or two clips of his performances and, _damn_ , that guy could dance. The thing about him though, was that no company could seem to make him stay. And it was no secret that a whole lot of them had tried.

"Seriously?! Isn’t he like, impossible to get a hold of?"

"Pretty much. As far as I know, the company’s been wanting to hire him on as a principal dancer for some time now, but he’s been reluctant. So they’re trying to butter him up." 

"Woah, that’s intense. Honestly Ino, where do you get all that information?!" Her friend just winked, lips curled into a mischievous smile. 

"Oh Ten, you should know by now that I never reveal my sources." True that. 

Two bucks poorer, but in possession of a hearty sandwich she immediately started devouring, the two ballerinas walked back towards the theater which was, fortunately, just a stone’s throw away from the studio. Or, in this specific case, unfortunately. With every step she took towards the theater, a big, imposing building with arched windows and an impossible amount of columns, her anxiety seemed to grow. _Fucking hell_ , she hadn't felt this nervous ever since her first day with the company. It made her want to bang her head against the next-best wall. It wasn't even that she wanted the lead so badly, she'd never cared about grand solos before. But, deep inside her, was this fear, this terror, that she hadn't landed a role at all, despite her status as principal dancer. That she was lagging behind the rest of the group again as she had back in her early teens.

When she'd been promoted, she'd promised herself that she wouldn't obsess over roles. That she'd just dance as she always had, giving it her all. But, as it turned out, the sheer excitement and anxiety that the high expectations brought with them were stronger than her resolve. At least that's what it seemed like at the moment. Funny how a new title and a pay-raise could turn your entire world upside-down. 

But, as usual, a nervous breakdown out on the open street wasn't exactly an option, so she kept her thoughts locked within her head, continuing to talk to Ino as if nothing was wrong. God, she just wanted this to be over with, finally have some certainty. In a few minutes, all of this worrying would come to an end and she could go right back to her usual, kickass self. Miraculously, the small-talk actually calmed her down a bit. Until they stepped inside the theater, that was. 

Ino must've picked up on how tense she was because she shot Tenten a reassuring look that seemed to say something along the lines of "It's alright, I've been there. It gets easier." For someone as sharp and direct as her, the gesture seemed almost out of place, but Tenten appreciated it nevertheless. 

A few steps further and that damned board came into view, far enough that you couldn't actually read what was posted on it, but close enough to read the expression on the other dancers' faces. Close enough to feel the tension in the air.

"Well, this is it. Come on, let’s have a look."

"Ugh, I can’t! You go do it!" 

She hated to be such a little bitch about the whole thing, truly, but she really didn't feel up to it. Her friend, on the other hand, sauntered up to the board in true Ino fashion, looking as if she hadn't a care in the world. The seconds that followed felt more like years, but, after a small eternity, she got her answer.

" **Oh my God.** Ten, you’re Swan Queen" While her friend sounded genuinely excited, she merely scoffed. This was definitely one of Ino's less imaginative jokes. It _had_ to be.

"Yeah, sure thing Ino."

"Tenten, I’m not joking."

Even though Ino sounded dead serious, Tenten still couldn’t quite believe what she’d just said. There was just no way she’d landed the lead role in her first ballet as a principal dancer. But then Ino stepped aside from the board, so she could see. It took her every last bit of self-control she possessed in order not to drop her sandwich. There it was, next to the words Swan Queen, black on white. Her name.

"Holy. Fucking. Shit."

—

Tenten. Neji couldn't put a face to the name, but according to the list pinned to the board, she was to be his Swan Queen.

If he was being honest, the choice came as a surprise to him. He'd expected the Mistress to select a senior principal like Konan, or the company's rising star, Ino Yamanaka who’d fabulously portrayed Kitri in Don Quijote last season, but not this. Swan Lake was a classic, the first thing people thought about when confronted with the word ballet. It shaped people's opinions about what ballet meant to them. As a consequence, critics always seemed to look at a production of Swan Lake just the tiniest bit more skeptical. Was it good enough to live up to the legend that surrounded Tchaikovsky's work, but still innovative, still fresh enough not to bore people to death. Not to mention how incredibly difficult it was to dance the female lead. It seemed strange somehow, to let a new face have this traditional part. Nevertheless, Mistress Tsunade was perhaps the most legendary ballerina Konoha had ever seen, so there really wasn't any choice but to place his utmost faith in her selection.

After all, only the most talented and hardworking dancers were accepted into Konoha City Ballet Company. And only the very best of those were selected as principal dancers. It was the reason he’d accepted the company’s offer to dance the male lead role in their first production of the season, Swan Lake. To dance with the best. So, whoever this Tenten person was, she had to be good.

He'd gotten the information he'd come for, so he stepped away from the board again to make room for the horde of dancers that would soon storm the place. For a second he considered retreating to his dressing room until rehearsals started, but this could be a good opportunity to take a first look at his partner. So, he stood, leaning against a wall far enough from the board to not be caught up in the chaos that would undoubtedly ensue, but still getting a good view of the place. Then, simply because there was nothing else to do, he waited. 

Sure enough, the first dancers soon started to come in, almost bursting with excitement. It was almost as if their anticipation was reverberating in the air. And just like that, they came and went. Giggling and whispering to each other. Some wearing a subtle frown, a few showing the tell-tale signs of unshed tears. No trace of the Swan Queen, however. 

Just when he was about to let the situation rest, content with waiting a bit longer to meet his mystery partner, two more people entered the hallway. One of them was none other than Ino herself, but he didn’t recognize the second woman. She was animatedly, and quite loudly, talking while chewing what, judging by the pungent smell, seemed to be a tuna sandwich. An ugly stain marred the front of her leotard and her hair was anything but in order. At that view, Neji's confidence in the company's selection of dancers wavered a bit.

"Well, this is it." Yamanaka began, obviously referring to the list. "Come on, let’s have a look." The other dancer, however, didn’t seem all that happy with the proposition. She looked… nervous.

"Ugh, I can’t! You go do it!"

Ino on the other hand, radiated the same infallible confidence she always did on stage, simply shrugging at her colleague's request and striding up to the board. How would she react to not getting the part? Neji thought he was prepared for any possible response. Anger or sadness or even relief. But what happened next caught off guard completely. Ino, a bright smile on her face turned towards the coffee-girl.

" **Oh my God.** Ten, you’re Swan Queen" Wait, _what?_

"Yeah, sure thing Ino", the woman, Tenten, replied nonchalantly. Apparently, she had an even harder time believing it than he did.

"Tenten, I’m not joking."

A look of shock and understanding dawned on her face and Neji almost couldn’t believe what he was seeing. There, in stained clothes, remnants of mayonnaise caught in the corner of her mouth, stood Konoha’s new Swan Queen. 

"Holy. Fucking. Shit."

Neji himself couldn’t have put it better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I hope I've managed to paint an interesting premise for this story! Without further ado, here's that promised ballet lore:
> 
> Swan Lake is an iconic ballet by Tchaikovsky, perhaps even the most well-known ballet in the world. It's about Odette, often called the Swan Queen, a girl who gets cursed to turn into a swan at day, only becoming human at night.
> 
> Ballet companies usually have a very strict hierarchy that goes as following, from lowest to highest rank:  
> \- Corps de Ballet  
> \- Demi-Soloist  
> \- Soloist  
> \- (Character Artists, mostly older and experienced dancers who don't have the agility/stamina for the difficult parts anymore. Often used to be Principal Dancers before. A lot of acting is involved in their roles.)  
> \- Principal Dancer 
> 
> During a season the dancers usually have class in the morning, followed by about five or six hours of rehearsal and then, if it's on, a show until late at night, so they lead extremely busy lives. 
> 
> To prevent their muscles from "cooling off" again during breaks, they wear many layers of clothing, including the stereotypical leg-warmers.


	2. Yes, they're definitely staring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten reacts to being cast as Swan Queen and, upon meeting her partner, is faced with the first of many challenges that come with the role. She also isn't impressed with her prince in the slightest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been rly inactive lately because life's been kinda crazy but I'm glad I get to post at least one more chapter of anything before the year is over! Have relaxing holidays and a good New Year <333
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and enjoy!

The next few seconds passed by feeling more like centuries. Her name was there, on the list. And yet, it didn't feel real. While she was still trying to get her bearings, to cram this impossible situation into her head somehow, to make it make sense, Ino swiftly crossed the space between them before throwing her arms around Tenten and hugging her tightly. 

"I told you you'd make it, didn't I!?"

Slowly, reality started to set in. She was Swan Queen. Swan _fucking_ Queen. Finally snapping herself out of it, she reciprocated the hug, though the expression of shock didn't fall from her face. Tenten felt numb. And like her entire body was alight with prickling excitement burning through her veins. All at the same time. Ino, apparently, wasn’t too happy with the lack of excited screaming or tears of joy. At least the expression on her face told her as much after the two had separated again.

"What kind of reaction is that?! Ten you landed the fucking lead role, aren't you happy?!" To her own surprise, she didn’t quite know how to answer.

"No, I mean yes, I mean... I guess I'm overwhelmed? This just doesn't feel real. It has to be a mistake. Or a dream. Maybe both." Ino simply rolled her eyes.

"Well, it's neither so you can break out into tears or maniacal laughter now."

For some reason, the dry sarcasm finally got the message across. This was real. She tried to contain it, she really did, but a giggle was working it’s way up her throat. It didn’t quite qualify as maniacal though. 

„Ino?“

„Yeah?“, she answered, sounding slightly confused. 

„I’m Swan Queen.“ She couldn’t help the excitement that suddenly overcame her. Or the grin that spread across her face. Or the feeling that bubbled up in her stomach, feeling not unlike the tell-tale butterflies of a new crush. Funny how ballet could make you feel like a hormonal teenager again.

„ **Hell yes** you are!“ Ino, finally satisfied with Tenten’s reaction, threw her fists up into the air and moved in for another hug. This time she didn’t get stuck in emotional limbo and hugged her friend back immediately. They laughed like over-excited schoolgirls for a good while, before stepping away from each other again. For a nice, long moment, she allowed herself to simply bask in her happiness.

"The fuck are you waiting for, call Lee!" Tenten merely sighed.

„I can tell him later, no need to be all cheesy about it"

„Oh, come on! there's every need to be cheesy about it. Remember how I reacted to landing Kitri?" How could she ever forget? That day she’d had to assure Ino at least a million times that her mascara hadn’t smudged after she’d broken out into tears of joy. 

„Alright, I’ll do it. But only so you stop bothering me.“ 

That wasn’t entirely true, and both of them knew it. She was excited to tell her best friend the news, even though she’d rather have waited until rehearsals were over for the day. Still, there was no denying the giddy feeling bubbling up in her chest as she scrolled through her contacts and tapped the call button next to Lee’s name. As always, she didn’t have to wait long, as he picked up after only the second ring. Here goes. 

„Hey, it’s me“ 

„Ten! What’s up?“ For a second she didn’t know how to respond. How did one put this absolutely insane situation into words? After a short pause, she somehow managed, although not very gracefully.

„So, uh, roles for Swan Lake were posted today. And turns out I’m gonna be Swan Queen.“ For a few moments, the voice on the other end of the line remained completely silent. 

Then, Lee broke out into victory cheers. He was yelling so loudly, she had to hold the phone away from her head. Yes, Lee was easily excited and could be a bit… much, but this time she didn’t mind at all. If anything, his reaction brought a grin to her face. It was as if his excitement was contagious. Even though she couldn’t see him right now, Tenten knew he was wearing the same expression. When she considered it to be safe for her eardrums again, she put the phone back to her ear.

„Tenten, that’s amazing! We have to celebrate!“ 

„Lee…“ He was almost childlike in his excitement and as happy as the reaction made her, she didn’t want him to blow things out of proportion. Not to mention celebrating after she’d just gotten the part felt wrong somehow. Like an invitation for potential disaster. 

„No, seriously! I’ll call Gai right now. We can pick you up after your rehearsals are done.“ 

„I’d rather not make such a big deal out of it.“ Next to her, she could virtually feel Ino roll her eyes again, but she chose to ignore the gesture. For a moment, there was only silence on the other end of the line.

„Oh. Sorry. I kinda got ahead of myself there, didn’t I?“ He sounded apologetic and she instantly felt a twinge of guilt in her gut. Tenten knew it wasn’t her fault, but she still didn’t want to make him feel bad.

„Only a little“, she offered. To her relief, Lee released a chuckle on the other end of the line. „Don’t worry about it, seriously. A full-scale celebration might be a bit overkill, but we can meet up and get some take-out?“ 

She didn’t just suggest it as a compromise to cheer up Lee, but because she was really craving some junk-food herself. Sitting on the floor eating cheap, but good, Chinese didn’t quite qualify as a party but considering she had to be up early again the next day, drinks weren’t really an option. Besides, she liked it cozy. So did Lee. 

„Sounds awesome.“ 

„Sweet! I’ll swing by your’s then after I’m done for today.“ All of a sudden, the end of the workday couldn’t come soon enough. 

„Later!“ 

The call disconnected and she put her phone away, smiling. Ino, on the other hand, didn’t look too impressed and Tenten was pretty sure she already knew why. She’d already opened her mouth to speak, but her friend was faster.

„So being Swan Queen is _not a big deal_ , huh?“, she said in a challenging tone, both hands on her hips.

„Ino, you know what I meant.“ 

„Yes, I do. But you’re allowed to be happy about it, you know?“ 

„I am, honestly. But more than that I’m scared I’ll fuck up. I don’t want to celebrate big now just to mess up later.“

„Ten, you aren’t going to blow it, trust me.“ Easier said than done. There were at least a million ways for her to mess this up. „You’re one of the best dancers I’ve ever seen and you know I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t honestly think so.“ That was definitely true. Ino never beat around the bush, especially where ballet was concerned, so Tenten allowed herself to be reassured by her friend. At least for now.

„Thanks, Ino, you’re the best.“

„Obviously. Now, let’s get going. I don’t want Tsunade to whoop our asses for being late.“ She had no objections whatsoever to that and together they hurried towards the studio.

—

Predictably, the dancers were somewhat distracted for the rest of the day, but at the same time the studio was filled with an air of excitement. Quite understandably so. Nevertheless, Tenten focused as best she could and tried to dance without thinking about her own role too much. In comparison to class this morning, the rehearsal went by agonizingly slow. Everyone had obviously seen the roster, knew who’d been assigned which part. And they were looking at her, some throwing subtle glances, others staring openly. During rehearsal, she felt those gazes weighing her down, felt them analyzing her every move. In the other dancers' heads the same questions she’d always asked herself from the sidelines. Will she do well as a lead? Will she be able to master the difficult parts? Is she really a better choice for the role than myself? 

Inwardly cursing herself she forced herself to ignore the others for now. It wouldn’t do to be distracted during practice and she’d have enough time to properly freak out over the entire situation later at night.

The hours passed eventually and Ino and her found themselves sitting on the floor after rehearsals were done, peeling the pointe shoes off their sore feet, wiggling their toes. Rehearsals would only get more demanding from now on, everyone knew that, and she released a sigh. Both, in exhaustion and anticipation. As draining as ballet could be, she loved it, there were no two ways about it. 

"My God, I can't wait to get home and into the shower", Ino half-sighed next to her. 

"Same here. I probably smell like hot garbage juice right now.“ Judging by the look Ino shot her in response, she hadn’t been that far off. Well, Lee wouldn’t mind if she borrowed this shower.

„Good work today!“, Tsunade said, loud enough that everyone could hear. „This season is going to be demanding, and stressful, but I’m confident you can handle it. Rehearsal plans will be sent out this evening, so make sure to check your emails later. Tenten and Neji, meet me in my office in five. You as well Itachi." She knew it was probably just some administrative stuff since the three of them were going to perform the lead roles, but she still couldn’t help the tiniest bit of anxiety flaring inside of her. Ino turned towards her with a smile, as if she’d sensed her apprehension.

"Want me to wait for you outside?“, she offered. Tenten considered for a second, then shook her head.

"Don't worry about it. I don't know how long this is going to take, after all." Tsunade usually wasn't one for long speeches, but you never knew. And Ino had seemed really eager about that shower.

"Fair enough. See you tomorrow then“, she answered, already getting up. 

"See you."

Tenten lazily waved after her as she left the studio, getting to her feet a few moments later. No use postponing the inevitable. Besides, Tsunade wasn’t one to be kept waiting. She quickly stowed away the pointe shoes in her bag and put on a zipper-hoodie before leaving the studio. Barely two steps into the hallway, she was met with a familiar face.

„Congratulations on getting the part.“ The voice belonged to Itachi Uchiha, another principal dancer and the one wh'd been cast as Rothbart, Swan Lake's grand villain.

„Thanks. You too.“ She meant it, though complimenting him on landing a role hardly seemed necessary. He was one amazing dancer and, consequently, performed major roles rather often. „Have you met Neji Hyuuga yet?“ 

„No. Though I suppose that’s about to change any second now.“ Well, he was right, although she’d hoped to know at least a little bit more before meeting the guy who was supposed to be her partner. There wasn't anything to be done about it at this point though, so she let the thought go again.

The two walked the rest of the short way in silence, but it wasn’t an awkward one. Itachi had never been a talkative one, but during her time at the company, she’d come to know that wasn’t out of malice. He simply didn’t say much, unless it was important. Though that didn’t change the fact that newcomers were often intimidated by him and she hadn’t been an exception to that particular rule. The first time she’d partnered up with him for a minor solo a few years back she’d been more than a tad nervous, but that feeling had dissolved as soon as they’d started dancing. Even though he was the company’s most prominent male dancer, there hadn’t been the slightest bit of arrogance in his behavior. She might've been a demi-soloist back then, but he'd still treated her as an equal partner. 

They soon reached Tsunade’s office and Itachi, without further ado, knocked on the door. A few short seconds later, a familiar voice rang out. 

„Come in.“

Tsunade was half-sitting half-leaning on her desk in a casual ways though that, in no way, diminished the aura of power and grace she exuded. In front of the desk, on one of three chairs, sat a man with long black hair that almost rivaled Ino’s in how smooth it looked. Neji Hyuuga. Or at least that’s who she presumed he was. Only a second later her guess turned out to be right.

„Now that all three of you are here, let’s talk business. Itachi, Tenten, this is Neji Hyuuga. He will be performing Swan Lake with you this season.“ 

Neji rose from where he was sitting and took a step towards the two other dancers, shaking first Itachi’s, then Tenten’s hand. The first thing she noticed was how _fucking tall_ he was. She had to crane her neck a little to look him in the eye. Well, getting on pointe would make up for some of that height difference she supposed. At least she hoped it would. 

The second thing that drew her attention were his eyes. Or, to be more precise, the look in them. Something between distaste and dismissiveness. In less fancy terms, he seemed to be royally pissed off. Either that or he had a bad case of resting bitch face. His gaze lingered for just a second too long and she was already wondering what the fuck was up with the guy when she realized he was looking at that hideous coffee stain. Way to make a good first impression. Should’ve zipped up her stupid hoodie.

„I’m looking forward to working with you this season.“ His tone of voice matched the impression on his face, cold and unrevealing of whatever he might be thinking at the moment and Tenten wondered just what she’d gotten herself into by landing Swan Queen. 

„Same here“, she answered trying to sound as confident as possible, while Itachi simply nodded. 

„Great. Now that the pleasantries are over with, let’s talk.“

Compared to how hard to read Neji was, Tsunade’s brutal bluntness was almost calming. The trio sat down on the chairs and Tsunade rounded the table, taking a seat face-to-face to her dancers, resting both elbows on the wooden surface and leaning forward ever so slightly. She, as always, clearly meant business. 

"Swan Lake is an absolute classic, which means the expectations are even higher than usual. It will be tricky to transform it into something contemporary. Something that won’t bore the audience out of their minds and get us stuck with mediocre reviews." She wasn’t wrong, although hearing all that spelled out by the damn director wasn’t exactly reassuring. Tsunade looked at them for a second, making sure they’d understood the gravity of the situation, before continuing.

"That’s where you three come into play. The corps and minor soloists are the backbone of every ballet, they make the entire thing work. And Konoha City Ballet has a damn good corps, maybe the best I’ve ever seen, but none of that is going to matter if you don’t pull your weight." No pressure there, then. Great. 

"I’m not saying this because I don’t believe in your technical skills, I know you’ve got those. Damn well wouldn’t have cast you for this otherwise. But Swan Lake, more than most other ballets, isn’t about skill as much as emotion. I need you to know your character, know their emotions as if they were your own. And most importantly, I need you to be able to portray those emotions."

"So, I’ve given you that entire pompous speech, but, in simpler words, get familiar with Swan Lake. I know you all know it, but get on to watching some more performances. Pay attention, not just to the costumes and glamour and how well she landed those turns, but to how the dancers tell the story. And don't only have a look at the most famous productions either, I want you to expand your knowledge, not just deepen the one you already have."

So, she’d have to put in some extra work after hours. Nothing out of the ordinary there, she’d often practiced at home and stretched for the better part of an hour almost every single day, but her efforts had never been focused on character studies and acting before. Well, there were worse things than lie in bed and watch gorgeous productions of an iconic ballet, so the assignment didn’t bother her. On the contrary, Tenten had been trusted with this role and she’d make damn sure she’d give it her all. 

"If you have no more questions, that’s it for tonight. Now, get out of here and rest. You’ll need it." No objections there. 

The three dancers rose, said their goodbyes to the Ballet Mistress for the night and left the office. A heavy silence settled between them after they'd closed the door behind them, but she supposed it wasn't all that strange considering that what felt like the weight of the world itself had just been dumped onto their shoulders. It wasn't exactly reassuring either when Itachi turned to walk away, not towards the theater's exit but in the opposite direction.

"You’re not going home yet?"

"No, Shizune wanted me to come and pick up some new shoes before I left." Of course, she did. 

"Alright. Later Itachi." He reciprocated the goodbye by waving his hand and left.

As she'd feared, a different kind of silence spread between her and Neji as they were left alone. The awkward kind. She still had no idea what to make of him, and he wasn't exactly helping. They were already out of the main building when he unexpectedly spoke up.

"You've never danced a lead role before." Tenten expected him to follow up with something along the lines of _are you nervous?_ but as silence once again settled between them she realized that was all he had to say. And that he probably expected some kind of answer.

"I was Konan's understudy in case of emergency for Cinderella last season, but thankfully she didn't get injured or anything. So no, I've never danced the lead before." He looked at her then, expression as unreadable as it had been the entire time and a bitter feeling of suspicion rose in Tenten's stomach. What was he trying to get at?

"It's... surprising that you've been chosen for the role. I'd have expected someone more prominent, like Konan or Ino." Wow, harsh. 

Though she couldn't really blame him for what he'd said, she'd thought the same thing after all upon seeing her name on the roster. Still, he really could've phrased it in a way that didn't make him seem like a massive jerk. Well, maybe he was just pissy because he was exhausted. After a day of hard work, she wasn't exactly relaxed either, so she chose to let it go and smiled at him instead even though she didn't feel like it. 

"Sure is. Though nobody was more surprised about it than me. I only got promoted to principal this year after all." When he raised a skeptical eyebrow at the statement, she felt her patience slip and she abruptly stopped in her step. So much for letting it go. "You don't think I'm up to it, do you?" 

She saw his carefully crafted expression crack for a split second. Bull's eye. Then the moment was over and he replied in a dry voice as if nothing ever happened.

"That's not what I said." God, she really liked that guy less with every passing second. 

"It sure sounded like it though!" She'd gotten quite a bit louder than intended and as soon as the words were out of her mouth she already regretted them. She didn't want to start drama with her partner just minutes after first meeting him, so she forced herself to calm down again.

"Look, I get it. You're the popular newcomer that every company wants and Konoha promised you the lead in probably the most famous ballet in history. Except instead of getting to dance with another star, you're stuck with me. And you're afraid of what it could do to your reputation if I fucked up." The silence that followed spoke volumes. "If you don't trust me, trust in Tsunade's decision instead. She'd never cast someone if she didn't think they were up to the task."

"And do _you_ think you're up to the task?" The question was almost insulting and did nothing to calm the simmering anger slowly rising inside her again, but she refused to let her temper take over. 

"Yes", she answered and, surprisingly, found it to be the truth. Nothing like classic male arrogance to help her find her confidence. "But not if you refuse to work with me based on assumptions."

"You're right." Even though she'd technically won the argument, Tenten felt no satisfaction whatsoever. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah. Tomorrow.", she answered as he was already walking away, towards the theater's parking lot. 

Well, that had gone catastrophic. As she made her way to the subway, alone, exhausted and pissed, she prayed Lee had ordered some of her favorites for tonight. Whatever gods might or might not be out there knew she'd damn well need it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops so we're abt 7k words in and they've spoken a grand total of one time... I promise they will interact more from the next chaper on though!!!


	3. Fallout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they get along _really well_. (They dont.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this one is a wee bit shorter than the first two, but it felt done and I didn' feel like cramming anything unnecessary in there. Also, updates are going to be pretty scarce until June because life is coming at me fast.
> 
> Hope you still enjoy and thank you for reading and any kudos or comments you might leave <3

The studio was filled with corps members and demi-soloists, sitting on the floor along the walls, watching intently as The Swan Queen and Rothbart practiced their dance. Neji Hyuuga, too, was watching, leaning against the open doorframe. And he didn’t like what he was seeing at all. 

There was something… off-putting about her dancing. It had nothing to do with her technique. That was great, amazing even, though he had some trouble admitting that. No, the problem in her dancing lay somewhere else, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly it was. Her performance just seemed too intense. Too powerful. Odette, the White Swan, was supposed to be as gentle as she was fragile. Tainted only by an intense sorrow that was born out of naiveté. Tenten was anything but. The way she danced was like the swing of a hammer, the force of a tornado, a wildfire. 

What irritated him even further was that, apparently, nobody else seemed to have a problem with it. Itachi didn’t blink twice when his Odette seemed fierce even as he was cursing her, sealing her fate forever. Not that they didn’t look good dancing together, quite the opposite, but it still wasn’t quite right. It was as if the story had been twisted into something else entirely. And Mistress Tsunade? Apart from the usual corrections and critique she didn’t seem thrown off by the situation either. If anything, she looked quite pleased with her casting. 

At the very least Tenten'd had the good sense to not show up in dirty clothing anymore. Maybe that counted for something. 

Not that it mattered at this very moment. Tenten and he hadn’t even rehearsed together at this point. It hadn’t even been a week since the cast had been announced and so far they’d been working on the first act, and Odette and the Prince didn’t meet until the second one. So, Neji silenced the concerns in his head. He couldn’t allow the quality of his own work to suffer because of them. Even for him, the role of Siegfried was a demanding one, and he wasn’t planning on striving for anything less than perfection.

Returning his attention to the two dancers, he barely resisted the urge to shake his head and walked away from his little spot. He'd already been dismissed for the day, so what was he even still doing here? Right now, the production was too undeveloped as a whole. There wasn't anything to be learned something from watching other people's parts yet. He should have gone home a while ago, answering emails, or getting some rest. Doing literally anything else with his time. For now, Tenten was simply a problem to be dealt with another day.

And then that day came. 

Neji had just gotten used to working with Kohoha ballet, fallen into a routine when rehearsal schedule was switched up. It was time to work on act two. The premise was set and Odette and Siegfried were to finally meet. He was more nervous during class that day than he'd have liked to admit, but, for the first time since joining the company, he managed to not spare Tenten a single glance all morning. 

It was a few minutes past noon, he was doing some light stretching in the designated studio, when Tenten walked in. She looked at him through the mirror and nodded without saying a word. He returned the gesture. Ever since the evening they first met, and the discussion that followed they hadn’t spoken to each other, the silent nods being the only form of communication between them. Quite frankly, it was a mess. To make things worse, He knew he was partly to blame. Neji really should have held off on his judgment until he’d seen her dance, but now that he had, he couldn’t bring himself to apologize. Because despite how poorly he may or may not have handled the situation upon first meeting her, he’d been right. 

Besides, if Neji recalled correctly, he hadn’t been the one to lose his temper that evening. Which was why he found himself to be surprised when she spoke up. 

„Look, I know we didn’t exactly hit it off, but this is getting ridiculous.“ Tenten wasn’t wrong, but he still didn’t have a clue what she was on about. „I guess what I’m saying is… I’m sorry. I hope we can still work together alright.“

He turned, looking directly at her now, instead of the reflection in the mirror. For a second he didn’t know how to answer. Out of all the things he’d expected her to say, an apology hadn’t been one. An awkward one, but an apology nonetheless. He suddenly felt the slightest twinge of guilt at his behavior, but more than that, Neji was annoyed with himself for not stepping up and apologizing first. He really should've done so days ago. Though, the sincerity in her voice made him want to accept, start over on a clean slate. 

„I-„

As it turned out, he’d hesitated just a second too long. Behind them, the door creaked open, Shizune and a man who was, judging by the stack of paper he was carrying, the pianist. Neji dropped his gaze almost instantly, looking away from Tenten.

„Tsunade is working with the corps today, so I’ll be handling your rehearsal this time. Let’s get right to it.“ Even though Shizune couldn't compare to Tsunade in terms of commanding authority, nobody could, really, she wasn't to be disobeyed either. So, he reluctantly took his place on the floor, Tenten joining him a second later, after lacing up her slippers. 

—

There were two things Tenten was absolutely certain of. One: This was a fucking mess. Two: Neji Hyuuga was a massive tool. 

The latter didn’t even come as a huge surprise anymore, she’d had a weird feeling about the guy ever since their little talk in front of the theater. No, scratch that, she’d had that feeling since he’d first looked at her with that scrutinizing gaze of his. She just hadn’t expected him to straight-up refuse her apology. Well, maybe that wasn’t quite fitting. He _had_ acknowledged her attempt at reconciliation. And then decided to ignore it. Asshole. 

And then there was the fact that, apparently, he didn’t even want to dance with her either. A pas de deux required almost constant contact between the dancers, that’s just how it was. And yet, Tenten felt as if he wanted nothing more than to put as much distance between them as humanly possible. She felt almost as if she repulsed him. Though the feeling definitely wasn’t one-sided, that much was for sure. 

That didn't make the issue any less frustrating though. This was supposed to be it, her first main role. Her big break. Instead, she felt like she was going pedal-to-the-metal against a brick wall. Sure, she hadn't expected this entire Swan Queen thing to be easy, she'd have been an idiot to have done so. Ballet was never easy. If anything, it was a never-ending uphill battle. She'd been through rejections and pain, exhaustion and even injury before. But being partnered up with someone who straight-up didn't want to work with you? That was something entirely different. 

The whole situation just made her so fucking angry. From the moment they’d met, he’d treated her based on assumptions. She’d worn a stained leotard once, so she was messy. She’d talked back to him, so she had a temper. She hadn’t landed a main role before, so obviously she was unfit to be the Swan Queen. And those disapproving looks he kept throwing her during rehearsal when he thought she wouldn’t notice… It almost made Tenten feel a little better, that he wasn’t as subtle in his disdain as he thought he was. Almost. The bad still outweighed the good in this situation. By far. So, she couldn’t help herself when the slightest bit of aggression translated into her dancing. She knew it was unprofessional of her to let that anger show in her work, but at this point, anything was better than the alternative. Losing her cool completely and confronting him then and there. 

Well, she’d still confront him. Though that’d need to wait until after they were done for the day. Blowing up in front of Shizune and the pianist didn’t seem like a good idea by anyone’s standards. Concentrate now, lose it later. For now, that was all she could come up with.

—

There was an uneasiness between them as soon as they stepped close to each other. What followed could, at least in Neji’s opinion, only be described as an absolute disaster. Every time the choreography had them touch each other, he felt this… dissonance run through him. And, considering Tenten’s expression, it was the same for her. The one-sided apology hung heavy in the air, filling the space between them with an almost unbearable awkwardness. 

What made matters even worse was that he hadn’t been wrong about her after all, at least where her dancing was concerned. 

She was supposed to be the White Swan, and yet the way she moved represented something else entirely. The raw power he’d observed in her steps before was only amplified by their close proximity. As his frustration grew, so did hers, the both of them pulled into a vicious cycle. After hours of rehearsing it felt almost as if her dancing was only a cover-up for her anger. And maybe it was. He certainly felt close to his breaking point. 

Though his own anger was by far not the worst thing about the entire situation. If any critic could see them now, they’d be torn apart. Not to mention what’d happen if things didn’t improve until opening night. A negative critique on a classic like this could easily cause a massive setback in his career. The most well-known newcomer in the ballet scene suddenly delivering a sub-par performance, despite working with one of the most renowned companies of all time. He could already see them, eyes filled with disappointment, boring into him. Hushed whispers behind his back. He wasn’t willing to admit it yet, but deep inside Neji already knew that's what scared him more than anything else. 

Hours later, Shizune finally dismissed them for the night, their torturous dance coming to an end. Neji was about to make himself scarce, but Tenten seemed to have other plans. She placed herself in front of the door, hands on her hips and looking like she meant business. For a split second, he was so taken aback, he didn’t know how to react.

„What are you doing?“, he finally settled. She looked almost offended at the question. 

„I’ve tried playing nice, and we both know how that turned out, so this time, you’re not leaving this room until we’re done talking or **so god help me**.“ 

After how practice had gone, there was no way he could accept her earlier apology. Both of them knew that. That chance was well and truly gone. So, he steeled himself against the growing irritation in the back of his head and nodded, silently urging her to continue. For better or worse, he really wasn’t leaving until they were finished.

„I’m gonna make it short. What is your problem with me?“ At this point, he could’ve given her a hundred different answers. He gave her the only one that mattered. 

„Your dancing.“ 

„Obviously.“ Her voice was dripping with dry sarcasm. „Care to elaborate?“ He could tell her patience was about to run out, still, Neji wasn’t about to insult her by sugarcoating the issues.

„You aren’t like the White Swan at all. She’s supposed to be gentle and sorrowful. You’re more like someone who’s looking to go to war.“ For a second, her face was completely devoid of any expression. Then, she blinked, seemingly catching herself. 

„I guess we’re the same then. You’re not at all like the Prince either.“ He didn’t like where this was going. Not at all.

„Excuse me?“

„Siegfried is a rich, two-timing, bastard. But, oh wait, that means you _do_ resemble him after all.“ By now, sarcasm and anger filled her voice in equal measures. „You’re rich and a bastard, so that’s two out of three. Congratulations!“ Now she was bringing his family into this? This was it. 

Ever since he’d started appearing on stage, people had faulted him for his background. Neji, the critic’s nephew. Neji who went to all those fancy dance academies on Hyuuga money. Neji, who’d always had it easy. The string his patience had been dangling from all day, finally snapped and, for the first time in a while, he felt true anger welling up inside him.

„Don’t try to turn this conversation around on me.“ His voice was louder than intended, but Neji was past caring. „You asked me what my problem was, and I gave an honest answer. Trying to hide your lack of skill behind attacks on my character is simply childish.“ 

„Well, I’m sorry I don’t live up to your high expectations“, she sneered. „But has it occurred to you that, just maybe, you’re wrong? Sure enough, nobody else has had a problem with my dancing so far.“ 

„And I honestly can’t say why.“ Now, this seemed to awaken something within her. Tenten’s eyes came alight with raw, unfiltered anger.

„So what? Now you’re not only shit-talking me but everyone else in the company as well? You’re a real piece of shit, Hyuuga.“ 

A retort lay on the top of his tongue already, but even in his current state, he knew that would only make things worse. If they got into a full-blown screaming match, and they were damn close to that already, and someone overheard that could have severe repercussions, no matter who was right. Besides, he wouldn’t put it past Tenten to lash out and have a swing at him and that would definitely cause a scandal.

„Call me what you will, but where does that leave us?“ Even though he’d calmed down somewhat, his voice was dripping acid. 

„If you think I’m going to step back you are sorely mistaken. I’m staying Swan Queen unless Tsunade herself throws my ass out onto the street, and you better get used to it.“ 

„Fine.“ 

So that’s what it was going to be. A few months of a shaky-at-best partnership and then on to the next offer. Neji might’ve had his eye on Konoha Ballet but it wasn’t as if he’d made up his mind for certain. Besides, there were dozens of other companies willing to hire him. He’d just write this off as a failed experiment, nothing more. If he performed well enough on his own, there was even a good chance the critics wouldn’t go too hard on him despite a lackluster Swan Queen. Noticing that she was still standing in the doorway, Neji audibly cleared his throat.

„Now, would you _please_ get out of my way?“

„With pleasure.“ 

With that, she turned on her heels and stormed off, leaving him all alone in the studio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let's be honest he kinda deserved that.


	4. Photograph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they talk, just not to each other and Neji realizes some things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are. First of all I'd like to apologize for vanishing for so long but life has been sort of crazy lately, to put it lightly. Thank you if you stuck around <3
> 
> Then I'd like to apologize because if you expected this to be the chapter they finally make out I'll have to disappoint you. It's gonna be somewhat exposition-heavy but I think it's important, especially for establishing that Neji isn't just a total ass. 
> 
> That said, have fun and thank you for reading <3

„I can’t fucking believe he said that!“ 

Ino looked like she was about to punch somebody. Not that Tenten could blame her. She’d felt the same not even an hour ago and even though the urge to wreck a certain someone’s face had passed, she was still angry. Very angry. 

„I know, right?“, she replied, trying to keep her voice down despite her emotions. Some of the other passengers in their subway-cart had already started staring at Ino's outburst.

„Who does he think he is!? Ballet Jesus?!“ Despite how mad she was, Tenten couldn’t help a chuckle at that remark.

„Probably.“ That guy had some real issues with his ego. Still, it wasn’t as if he was all talk. „Though as much as I hate to say it, he’d have a point with that.“ Ino simply rolled her eyes.

„Okay, I’m gonna stop you right there. First of all, he’s good, but not that good. And second, no matter how sublime or whatever your dancing is, it doesn’t give you a pass on being an asshole.“ 

„True that.“ Involuntarily, Tenten released a sigh. They could talk about Neji Hyuuga and his massive hubris all evening, but that wouldn’t help the situation. „Seriously though, I have no idea what to do about this whole mess.“ Tenten tried to keep the frustration out of her voice, she really did, but today's rehearsal had been nothing short of a complete trainwreck. Not to mention the fact that she'd lost her temper again, though she couldn't bring herself to be quite as sorry about it as she was supposed to be.

„Well, kicking his ass would be assault, so that’s out.“ There was a spark of genuine disappointment in her eyes, almost as if she'd seriously considered beating up a guy a good head taller and, more importantly, with access to much better lawyers than both of them.

„A shame.“ Ino just nodded at her reply, and the two fell silent for a moment, contemplating. Tenten’s eyebrows scrunched up in frustration as she came to the only logical conclusion. „As much as I’d love to wreck his shit, I think all I can do is pull through this. Dance as well as I can and be done with it.“ 

„Yeah, that sounds about right.“ Ino’s tone immediately made it clear that she wasn’t satisfied with that situation. „Still, that Hyuuga guy is on my shitlist.“

„Oh, definitely.“ 

The thought brought a grin to her face. No matter who you were you did not, under any circumstances want to be on Ino’s list. Her joy, however, was short-lived as the gravity of the situation came crashing down on her once again. Tenten must've gone real quiet all of a sudden because when Ino nudged her shoulder, the woman's eyes were full of concern.

„Ten?“, she asked, a careful hesitation in her voice.

„Yeah?“

„You didn’t actually believe anything he said, right?“ Damn. Count on Ino to hit the nail on the head.

„No!“ The response came entirely too quick and the look on her friend’s face told Tenten she wasn’t having any of it. „I mean… I don’t know Ino. It’s not like I didn’t have doubts before, so maybe-„

„Stop.“

„But-„

„I’m serious Tenten. You’re one of the best dancers I know. You fucking earned that role, don’t let some self-absorbed prick tell you otherwise.“ 

„You’re right. Thanks, Ino.“ The words weren't enough to convey how grateful she really was, but they were all she had. 

„Always.“ 

„As in _I’ll always be there for you_ or _I’m always right?_ “ Ino wrapped a strand of blonde hair around her finger before answering in a playful tone.

„Both.“ Tenten couldn't help but smile at the response. They sat in comfortable silence for a while until the subway lurched to a stop and Tenten got to her feet, waving goodbye to Ino. 

„Well, that’s my stop. See you tomorrow.“ 

„See you!“ Tenten was already out of the cart, when Ino called after her: „And you can bet your ass I’ll give Hyuuga my best death stare when I see him!“ 

Before she could give Ino more than a nod, the doors slid closed and the subway drove off, leaving her in a sea of people heading for the exit. If only looks could kill… Hyuuga would be old news soon enough, that was for sure. She exhaled deeply, climbing the stairs out of the shabby station. The ice-cold slap of winter wind that greeted her outside did nothing to cool the frustration and anger still swirling within her stomach. What a fucking mess.

Well, at the very least, anger was better than the alternative. Doubt. The more logical part of her knew Ino was right. Not to suck her own dick or anything, but Tenten was a good dancer. She’d put in the work again and again and again. She’d bled and sweat, and sometimes even cried for this and it’d paid off. But somewhere, deep inside of her, that insecurity was still festering. It’d always existed. Neji hadn’t put it there, but fuck her if he wasn’t trying his hardest to drag it out into the open. 

So, instead of falling prey to a full-blown existential crisis, she’d just focus on what was in front of her, one step at a time. That seemed like a solid enough plan. 

—

„So, what’s her name?“ 

Hinata was comfortably seated on Neji's couch, her legs tucked under her. Next to her, her sister was half-sitting, her legs casually stretched out over the armrest. The former was looking at him, a curious sparkle in her eyes, waiting for an answer to her question. 

„None of your business.“ 

Neji hadn't invited his cousins to talk about work. He'd only mentioned the fact that he was having problems with a coworker in passing. A mistake, as it turned out. The two sisters had immediately latched onto the tiny shred of information. 

„Oh, come on!“ Hanabi was fully sitting up now, the expression on her face resembling her sister's but with more fierceness behind it. Neji sighed. He knew that, while Hinata might be ready to let the subject drop, Hanabi wouldn’t stop nagging him until she’d gotten her answer. 

„Alright, it’s Tenten. Are you satisfied now?“

„Yes.“ She sounded characteristically smug, which had Neji rolling his eyes. That girl was too nosy for her own good. 

Neji was glad to have the topic over with, but as it turned out the reprieve was only temporary. He barely had the time to walk to the kitchen and pour the tea he'd prepared before Hinata's voice rang out, sounding surprised and almost reverent.

„Wow…“

„What is it?", he asked while arranging the cups on a tray and making his way back into the living room.

„Tenten is _hot_.“ Hanabi’s answer caught him off-guard so completely, he almost dropped the tray. For a second he didn’t know how to reply.

„Wait wha- what’s that got to do with anything?! Besides, how would you know?“ 

„We found her Instagram.“ Great. So that’s what Hanabi had wanted her name for. Neji released a sigh of resignation.

„You two are impossible, you know that?“

„Seems to run in the family“, Hinata replied nonchalantly. 

„Whatever you say. Now, would you two please stop looking at pictures of my coworker.“

„No.“ Hanabi’s reply came almost instantaneously. „Besides, don’t act like you’re not curious.“

„Why would I be? I’ve seen her, you know?“

„Suit yourself, then“, Hinata said, as if she already knew Neji wouldn’t be able to resist taking a glimpse.

Like most of the time when she was making assumptions about him, Hinata had hit the bullseye. As he was carrying the tray of freshly-brewed tea back to the couch, his curiosity did end up getting the better of him. He leaned in slightly over his cousin's shoulder, to catch a glimpse.

In the picture, she was smiling. 

It was a snapshot, taken in the spur of the moment without her noticing. She was sitting at a table, one hand holding onto a bottle of beer, the other making a gesture that suggested she’d been animatedly talking to someone at the time. Obviously, she wasn’t in ballet gear either, but wearing casual clothes. A graphic-tee and a pair of long, dangling earrings. It was almost strange to see. The Tenten he knew, existed solely within theater and studio. It was difficult imagining her doing anything else. Still, she just seemed to fit naturally into the scenario. Her smile looked so natural and she had a certain energy to her that almost seemed to radiate past the confines of the photograph. 

Fuck, Hanabi was right. 

„Told you she was hot.“ Hanabi sounded almost triumphant and Neji resisted the urge to roll his eyes again.

„As I said, that doesn’t matter. We don’t get along, neither professionally nor personally.“ 

„So you’ve told us“, Hinata answered.

„Well, your loss.“ Hanabi followed up less than a second later, still scrolling through Tenten's Instagram page when the image on the screen suddenly changed, announcing an incoming call. She'd swiped to accept it before Neji had time to read the caller's name, but she seemed excited. „Oh, I gotta take this. Give me a second.“

Without waiting for a response, she jumped up from the sofa and quickly disappeared from the living-room. Neji closed his eyes and exhaled in relief, glad to have that conversation over with. When Hinata's voice cut through the silence, he realized that he'd let his guard down too early.

„Neji, what did you say to her? Tenten, I mean.“ He'd have been seriously offended about her just assuming that him and Tenten not getting along was his fault, but she was right. Still, the situation was seriously getting on his nerves.

„Excuse me?", he replied, hoping to steer away from the topic, but Hinata didn't take the bait. 

„Oh, don’t play dumb. It doesn’t suit you.“ 

So that one hadn't worked. Shit. For a second he considered just keeping his silence and waiting it out. If Hanabi came back, Hinata might drop the subject. Either that or they'd gang up on him. Probably the latter. Well, in that case, better to bite the bullet sooner rather than later. 

„Alright, we had an argument about something work-related. Happy?“ She obviously wasn’t, still looking at him, arms crossed. He let out an exasperated sigh. „Her dancing is off and I told her, that’s all.“

„Except you were probably being rude about it.“ 

„How would you know?“

„Neji, I’ve known you all my life. Of course I know.“ As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. Still, he wasn't going to give in and spill the entire story that easily. 

A pregnant silence fell upon the room as the two entered what was, essentially, a staring contest. Hinata wasn't willing to drop the topic any more than he was to give her an explanation.

„Look, I get it. You’re scared, aren’t you? Of what might happen if she does screw up, which, by the way, I don’t think she will.“ Neji froze for a second. She'd read him like an open book. „I know things aren’t easy, especially with dad being a big-shot critic and all, but just because he’s been having these impossible expectations for literally anything you do, doesn’t mean you have to think the same way.“

"Easy for you to say." He regretted the words as soon as they'd left his mouth.

"Don’t give me that." Suddenly there was a fierceness to her voice and she was glaring daggers at him. But the moment passed quickly and her expression softened. "Between the two of us, I’m obviously the bigger disappointment. I’m the one who quit dancing, if you remember.“ 

How could he not? By quitting ballet Hinata had singlehandedly caused the biggest family feud Neji'd ever had the displeasure to experience. And there had been _a lot_ of those. Even though it'd happened years ago, remembering his uncle's cold rage and disappointment still gave him the chills. 

„I still don’t know how you ever managed that. Considering how important it was to Hiashi and everything…" That was a gross understatement, but Neji simply didn't know how else to put it. It hadn't simply been important to Hiashi that his daughter excelled at ballet, it had been more like… an obsession. 

„Oh, he was _pissed_. But at one point I found that I just couldn’t care anymore. I just didn't enjoy ballet, no matter how good I got at it. The thought of dedicating my entire life to it made me feel worse than anything else ever could've." 

He'd thought he knew what Hinata must've felt like back then, but the tone of her voice suggested that he couldn't even begin to imagine. From the way she sounded, the situation must've been even harder on her than she let on. He felt a stab of guilt at that. Would it have been easier for her if he'd spoken up back then? Before he could be swept up by the past, she spoke up again. 

„I’m not telling you to quit ballet, Neji. You obviously love it more than anything, but you need to relax. If you keep letting the pressure get to you, you’ll just explode one day.“ Easier said than done. She was right, though. And she wasn't just making an educated guess either, she'd lived it. 

„You’re right.“ 

„You also need to apologize to your coworker.“ 

"Absolutely not."

"Oh come on! Don't tell me you can't ignore your stupid pride for long enough to say that you're sorry."

"Believe it or not, this isn't about my pride." She raised one eyebrow in disbelief, a gesture he chose to ignore. "When I said we had an argument, that might have been a bit of an understatement. She hates me, Hinata. There's no way she'll accept an apology now."

"Well, if you've been that much of an ass, you owe it to her to at least try." He hated how much sense she made. 

He tried to come up with a response that somehow justified him ignoring Tenten for the rest of the season, but his brain gave him absolutely nothing. Exhaling deeply, he gave Hinata a tentative nod. Neither of them spoke up again, but before an awkward silence could settle over them Hanabi came back into the room, a spring in her step and a grin on her face. She immediately started rambling about what the person on the phone had said, clearly excited. Neji was content to lean back and listen in silence. 

—

It was still so early that the winter sun had not yet fully risen, painting the empty studio in a somewhat ethereal light. Tenten was by no means an early riser, she liked to sleep in at every chance she got, but today a different kind of need had her out of bed earlier than usual. 

Stifling a yawn, she dropped her duffel bag on the floor. She crouched down next to it, procuring her phone and a pair of well-worn ballet-flats. The sight of them made her feel almost nostalgic. Not that she never used them but as a professional, the simple flats were abandoned for pointe shoes most of the time. Sure, there were productions, mostly more contemporary ones, that used flats, but it was far from common. The shoes reminded her of where she came from as a dancer. No matter how good you got, everyone started out on flats. Tenten was no exception, having made her way through multiple pairs before finally going on pointe. 

Letting go of the memories, she slipped on the shoes and fell into the familiar movements of a quick warm-up. Dancing wasn't only her job, it was her love. Whenever she needed to destress or vent her frustrations in a way that didn't involve a good, long bitching session with Ino or Lee dancing was the thing that came to mind. When she was moving it was easy to let go of the thoughts that plagued her and the exhaustion that usually set in after some intense dancing helped calm her down. But it wasn't only that. When she lost herself to the flow of the music she felt… free. 

And today that was exactly what she needed. Between her self-doubt and the whole Hyuuga fiasco she desperately craved a short improv session. And if running on less sleep than usual was the price she needed to pay for that, well, then she'd pay. 

Satisfied with her warm-up, she grabbed her phone and started scrolling through her playlist, looking for something to dance to. Hooking the phone up to the speaker, she took her place in the middle of the studio, anticipation thrumming in her veins. When the first beat came in, forceful and loud, she moved.

—

Neji had arrived at the studio earlier than planned. It didn't bother him much though. He'd always been one to get up early and besides, having time for a bit of extra practice couldn't hurt. He could almost hear Hinata's voice, berating him for being so perfectionistic, but truth be told that wasn't the only reason he liked to practice off-work. Dancing grounded him. It freed his mind, almost as if it was some kind of meditation. When he was dancing with someone he got even vaguely along with, that was. 

He shook his head. He was not going to let his mind wander down that path again. 

After his talk with Hinata, he'd made the decision to apologize to Tenten. Today. Even if he didn't think her dancing was up to par, they couldn't go on like this. They didn't need to like each other but they did need to be able to be in the same room for a prolonged period of time without blowing up at each other. A truce. Or at the very least a ceasefire. Though he was slightly more nervous about the whole affair than he'd have liked to admit. Scratch that, he was way more nervous. Especially considering that Tenten had looked at him as if she might rip his head off the last time they'd spoken. 

Well, he'd cross that bridge once he came to it. For now, he might as well do something worthwhile with the time before class. When he reached the door to the studio however, he paused. From beyond the wall, he heard movement. For a second he stood, bewildered. During his entire career, he'd never met another dancer who'd voluntarily get up earlier than their rigid schedule demanded. Whatever. The studio could fit way more than just two people, so there shouldn't be a problem. Careful not to disturb whoever was in the room, he opened the door. 

And froze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cliffhanger? cliffhanger.


	5. In Moderation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which one dance changes everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back at it again folks!!! 
> 
> Thanks to everyone who's still reading it truly means the world to me. Have fun reading and a big thank you to everyone who leaves a kudo or comment!

Tenten stood in the middle of the studio, eyes closed. There was a tension to her stance he knew only all too well. Clearly, he hadn’t been the only one who’d thought to get an extra bit of practice in before the workday. The silence lasted barely a second though, as the music came in and she started to dance. And Neji, unsure of what else to do, watched.

All of a sudden he felt incredibly stupid. For taking so long to recognize what everyone else already saw in her. It should've been obvious.

Despite the incredible amount of precision he knew her movements took, she looked… _free_. He'd never been able to picture her in the role of the swan before, but now she looked as if she might take flight at any moment. Every step, every gesture, was full of emotion. It was almost as if she was telling a story. In her dancing, he could sense anger and frustration but it melted away as she continued on. She was having fun, no not just that, she was loving what she was doing and he could feel it.

He found himself entranced. The raw power he’d criticized in her movements before had become the very reason he couldn’t tear his eyes away. Truth be told, he’d never seen anything like this before. It wasn’t strictly ballet, but a mix of different techniques and styles. That wasn’t what made it unique though. It was her. When talking about dance, he’d never been one to use many words. No poetic, flowery language. But damn him if her dancing didn’t have a soul. 

For the next few minutes, he couldn’t do anything but stand in the doorway and watch her every move. When the music ended, Tenten was breathing heavily but she looked happier than he’d ever seen her. Happier than he’d seen anybody in a long while. Not because everyone else was miserable, but because her joy seemed to radiate outwards, so everyone could see it. In the short time, he’d known her, it’d become obvious she was an emotional person. Someone who wore her heart on her sleeve. And up until now, he’d always been on on the receiving end of those emotions. Anger and Frustration. But now that it was pure joy and relief, he almost felt a little less insecure himself, just by watching Tenten. Then her eyes caught his in the mirror. 

She jumped in surprise and whirled around to face him, eyes wide. _Nice going, Neji._ Then, the shock wore off, and once she realized that it was him her face contorted into a scowl.

"How long have you been standing there?"

He cleared his throat. "I- A while." Well, this was awkward, but there was no way he could just up and leave now. "I’ve been wanting to talk to you." That wasn’t right, not exactly anyway. What he really wanted to do was apologize.

"Fine. I’m listening." Her tone was harsh, but at least she was willing to hear him out. 

The intensity in her gaze didn’t come as a surprise, he’d known what to expect, but it still caught him off-guard. He paused for a second, unsure of what to say. Neji had made the decision to apologize the day before and once he made a decision like that, he committed. He really, truly, felt he’d wronged her and that it would be callous of him not to try and make it up to her. So, yes, if he hadn’t stumbled on her giving one of the most touching performances he’d seen in his entire life, he’d still have apologized. But now, that he’d seen what she could do the apology he’d laid out in his head suddenly didn’t feel good enough anymore. Turned out he hadn’t just been your regular prick, but a massive one. 

"I’m sorry for how I treated you." That was a beginning, but Neji still hadn’t the first idea what to say next. "It was unfair of me, making assumptions based on almost nothing. I hope we can still work together." 

He hadn’t meant for his words to come out so stiff. He feared the apology seemed ingenue, even though he really, really meant it. 

Tenten crossed her arms in front of her body. "You’re not very good at the whole apology thing, you know that?" 

"Yes, I’m aware." He could’ve punched himself. What kind of response was that?!

She sighed deeply and for a terrible second, he thought he’d messed up, angered her even further with his botched apology. But then, for a split second, he swore he saw something akin to a smile flash across her face and the knot in his gut just… disappeared. 

"I wasn’t exactly playing nice either. I mean, yeah, you were kind of being a tool, but I could’ve tried harder to keep my temper in check. When I blew up on you the other day, that wasn’t cool. Sorry about that." 

To say that he was taken aback would’ve been an understatement. He didn’t know how exactly he’d expected her to react but he hadn’t been prepared for her to just up and apologize to him. All of a sudden he felt silly, for making such a big deal out of an apology when she didn’t seem to have a problem with it at all. Yes, her words had been simple, but he could feel she’d _meant_ them. 

"You might wanna stay away from Ino though. At least for a while". He raised an eyebrow at that and Tenten quickly looked away, seeming almost embarrassed. "Let’s just say she didn’t take to well to our little fight." Oh. Well, that explained why Ino had been shooting him death glares every time they’d come across each other lately. 

For a second neither of them spoke, but Neji dreaded the oncoming silence, so he quickly added, "So… what now?"

"I guess we just have to keep trying and hope things get better, now that we don’t want to strangle each other anymore." 

But what if things don’t get better? The question hung heavily in the air, but neither of them dared to ask it out loud. It was then, that they came to a silent agreement; They’d cross that bridge when they came to it. 

—

Thankfully, it turned out they didn’t have to. When rehearsals started that afternoon. It was as if a switch had been flipped. Of course they weren’t perfect, nobody could be at the stage their production was at right now, but it was a start. A good start. During all the years of practicing and performing, he’d never felt like this with a partner. They weren’t just two dancers trying to make it work, they were in synch. As if they were one single entity, telling a story. At least that’s what he thought. Though, as far as he could tell from the satisfied expression on her face after thew were done for the day, she had to feel something similar at least. 

There was something else though, something he hadn’t felt during practice in a long while. Neji was having fun. Yes, he loved ballet, of course he did. You didn’t dedicate your entire life to something if you didn’t truly love it, things just didn’t work like that. But that simple, almost childlike fun was something he hadn’t felt in a long while. Longer than he cared to admit. 

Still, he couldn’t quite bring himself to bring it up to her. _Hey, I know we hated each other’s guts until this morning but dancing with you was a life-changing experience_ seemed like a surefire way to scare her off again. If someone said this to him, he’d probably think they were out of their minds. 

So, instead of pouring his heart out and possibly ruining everything they’d just built, he just gave her a casual good-bye when they were packing up their things. He already had his hand on the door-handle when her voice rang out, stopping him. 

"Hey, wait!"

He turned around. "What is it?"

She paused for a moment, fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. Was she nervous? Not that he could’ve blamed her. Rehearsals had gone over phenomenally well, but he doubted she’d just forgotten everything that had come before that. 

"Remember how Tsunade told us to research Swan Lake?" Neji nodded, though he had no idea where this could possibly be going. Well, Itachi dug up some ancient VHS recording of an older performance. It isn’t all that well known, but we thought it’d still be interesting to watch. Wanna come with?" 

The offer itself was almost as surprising as Neji’s reaction to it. Because he did. He really _really_ did. But Neji wouldn’t want to intrude on anything. After all, Tenten and him had been at each other's throat until a few hours ago and he could count the times he’d spoken to Itachi on one hand. 

"I wouldn’t want to intrude." Tenten just rolled her eyes at that.

"Hey, if I didn’t want you there, I wouldn’t have asked." Fair enough. Though that still didn’t erase his doubts completely.

"What about Itachi? How do you know he’d be okay with this?"

"He’ll be fine, trust me." It must’ve been obvious that he wasn’t completely convinced, so she added, "Seriously, I’d be good for all of us to just spend some time together. Team-building, you know?"

Something told him she wouldn't stop trying to convince him and, somehow, that sentiment was enough for him to finally cast his doubts aside.

"Fine. If you’re sure, then I’m in." 

Upon hearing his answer a smile spread across her face and Neji realized that he’d never seen her smile before. Not at him, anyway. It was so genuine, it almost hit him like a punch to a gut. 

"That’s what I wanted to hear! We’re meeting at Itachi’s this Sunday. He’s the only person I know who still owns a VHS player. Two pm. I’ll send you the address."

—

True to her word, Tenten had sent him a text later that evening, however she’d managed to get a hold of his number. So, he found himself sitting on Itachi’s couch at the set time and place.

Itachi’s apartment was surprisingly cozy. Small, but with tall windows that reached almost all the way to the top of the high ceiling. The living room, which doubled as dining room was decorated with a lot of those tiny plants that were all the rage, at least according to his cousins, and bookshelves lined the walls. On the couch table stood a framed photograph of a slightly younger Itachi, next to a boy who looked strikingly similar to him. They smiled.

"It’s my brother, Sasuke," Itachi said from where he was sitting on the floor, fiddling with the VHS recorder. Neji almost jumped. His back was turned to Tenten and him, so how had he known? Was he psychic or something?

"He comes to pick Itachi up from rehearsal once in a while, to hang out," Tenten added, clearly more accustomed to Itachi’s mannerisms than Neji was. 

The camaraderie the two shared was subtle, but Neji found himself envying it nevertheless. Ever since his career had taken off, he hadn’t stayed with one company for long enough to really form ties with anyone. And before that… well, he’d be lying if he said that he’d put much effort into befriending his colleagues. 

Now that he’d seen what that kind of familiarity looked like though, Neji wanted to be a part of it. Strange, he’d never felt the need to connect with his colleagues like this before.

The performance itself was really interesting. The choreographer and dancers had managed to put their own spin on Swan Lake without staying away from the source material too far. Like Tenten had told him, the performance wasn’t famous and, as was common for most smaller productions, the actual skill of the dancers wasn’t on par with what he was used to from famous companies, but tha tmade it no less insightful. The afternoon was going great, really. 

Until Tenten’s thigh brushed against his for a second. It hadn’t been a conscious gesture, but it completely captured his attention even though it lasted only for a moment. 

It was strange. He’d touched her plenty during rehearsals. Her waist, the small of her back, her arms and legs. Standing almost chest to chest, only the tiniest distance remaining between them. But for some reason sitting next to her on the couch, barely even touching, felt different. It was personal. Removed from work and the theater. He felt almost… flustered. Because she wasn’t just some colleague anymore, she was a person. With all the personality and quirks and flaws people tended to have. And, well, Neji found he liked being around her, Tenten the person. It was…easy. And then the worst possible thing happened at the worst possible time: Hanabi’s words from the other day popped back into his head.

 _Tenten is hot._

Neji immediately looked away from her, back to the TV screen. This was ridiculous. Yes, she was attractive, but that had absolutely nothing to do with him. Today was hardly the first time he’d seen her, so he didn’t see why he should feel or act any different about it. Keeping his eyes on the screen, he tried to focus on Swan Lake. It didn’t work out quite the way he’d planned. He was too aware of her sitting next to him. Shifting around ever so slightly, fidgeting with her hands. She was watching the performance quite intently, eyes focused on the dancers. They were a warm brown and incredibly expressive. As if she was right on that stage, experiencing the story together with the performers. Anticipation, joy, sadness, anger. All of it was right there, reflected in her- _Stop it._ Neji Hyuuga didn’t do complete one-eighties like that. Going from avoiding someone at all costs to… this. 

He forced himself to look back towards the screen. This time around he managed to keep them there, but the rest of the performance flew by in a blur. He couldn’t seem to fully concentrate on what was happening. The only reason he fully realized it was over was because Tenten broke out into applause after the final dance, even though it didn’t make a difference to the dancers at this point. It was kind of sweet if he was being honest. 

The three of them would have like to discuss what they’d watched but it was getting late and all of them were busy people, so the two visitors were on their way again soon after the end of the video. 

The sun was just setting over Konoha as they were walking, Tenten towards the nearest subway station, and Neji to where his car was parked. Which was almost comically far away from Itachi’s Apartment. As charming as Konoha was, trying to find a spot to park was more like searching for a needle in a stack of hay. Today, he didn’t mind though. Because it gave him the chance to go over the Swan Lake performance they’d jus watched with Tenten. Right now she was speaking animatedly, gesturing with her hands. 

"The lead was great. You could _feel_ her sorrow in that piece." 

It was true. The production’s Swan Queen had, without a doubt, been the highlight of the show. Neji would’ve had trouble coming come up with a character he identified with less than some girl killing herself over a man she’d known for maybe a few weeks. But her performance had somehow managed to make even that outlandish situation feel relatable. Her technique, on the other hand, had left some things to be desired.

"Her fouettés were sloppy though." 

"Said the guy who never had to do thirty-two of them in one go. On pointe." Fair enough. "That stuff is scary."

"The fouettés?" Now that was a little harder to believe. He’d seen her do dozens of them and she’d never seemed to have any problems with them. 

"By themselves? Not really. The fact that any critic in attendance is going to judge my entire performance based on how many of them I nailed? Now that’s some nightmare fuel." She was trying to play it off, but he could still sense the anxiety behind the casual demeanor. 

Weird. She’d always looked so confident and fierce, Neji hadn’t even considered the possibility that she might be nervous. But of course, she was. This wasn’t only her first lead ever, it was also a role that had an immense amount of weight to it. 

Neji himself had always felt the pressure, even before he’d started auditioning, let alone performing. His Uncle had always had great expectations, for both, Neji and his cousin Hinata. Ever since they’d been children, he’d drilled into them what exactly critics were looking for. And he would know, being one of the most prestigious critics in the world of ballet. Even though those tips were insanely helpful now that he was a professional dancer, they’d done nothing but instill a sense of fear and anxiety into him when he’d been a child. Feelings that still dominated his thoughts in the time leading up to an important performance. 

For just a second, he could sense the same feelings radiating from Tenten. 

And then it hit him. She’d been stressing out about Swan Lake just as much as him, hadn’t she? Just like him, Tenten was hiding her true feelings behind a mask. Except instead of cold indifference, for her, it was a carefree attitude. Or maybe she was just better at coping with the whole situation. At this point that wouldn’t have been surprising at all, but at least in that one moment, she’d felt the same as him, no doubt about it.

"You’ll do fine, I’m sure of it." She simply smiled and looked away. A few seconds passed in silence before she spoke up again.

"Hey, Neji?" Her voice, strangely enough, sounded small. 

"What is it?"

"You apologized to me earlier, but I- I still have something to say." He would’ve been worried she’d changed her mind about his apology, but if she had a problem, she’d just come out with it. Right now though, she sounded uncharacteristically hesitant. "When I said that you only got this far because your family is well off, that was shitty. I knew it wasn’t true, I was just looking for something that would hurt you. I’m, really, really sorry."

Once again, she’d throw him a complete curveball. Never in a million years would he have expected that she still felt bad about what had happened between them, considering he’d been the one who started it. Considering her earlier apology had been infinitely less of a mess than his own. 

"It’s alright, really." Even though Neji meant it, she didn’t look too convinced. "I kind of deserved it." 

It was the truth. If she’d been purposefully looking for something that would hurt his feelings, then he must’ve hurt hers first. Even though he’d already apologized, and she’d forgiven him, the realization came with a pang of shame and guilt, spreading through his gut like fresh tar. 

"So, we’re good?" She sounded hopeful and even if he were still mad at her, which he definitely wasn’t, he couldn’t have refused her offer for peace.

"Yes, we’re good." 

Her lips curved into a smile at his answer. A heartstopping, _knocking-you-off-your-feet_ kind of smile. Neji blinked, suddenly so flustered he didn’t know what to do next. So, he let his instincts take over. And smiled back. 

What happened next was hard to describe. It was as if, for a moment, he knew that everything was going to be alright. Swan Lake, the critics, their partnership, it would all work itself out.

And just like that, the moment was over again. They’d reached the stairs to the station. 

"Well, see you in the studio." She waved a hand at him, turned around, and made her way underground. 

She already had her back turned and was a few paces away when he breathed a barely audible, "See you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that these two aren't fighting anymore, I'd say it's high time we move this along ;^) 
> 
> This chapter was named after the song 'Moderation' by Florence and the Machine, when I first thought up the concept of this fic, the very first scene I imagined was Neji walking on Ten dancing alone in the studio, to that very song. So, if you want the full experience (tm) or just want to check out a great song I suggest you give it a listen.
> 
> Ballet note: The thirty-two fouettés I'm referring to are from the (in)famous coda of the pas de deux in act three of Swan Lake. I highly recommend you check out a video of that, there are plenty on youtube and all of them are stunning to watch!


End file.
